Book picks similar to
Passion and Propriety by Elise de Sallier
historical-romance
historical
virgin-hero
romance
His Wicked Ways
Samantha James - 1999
Handsome, fearless, and determined, he is a man who catches the eye of many a woman...yet he has but one goal—to find Meredith, last daughter of the Clan Munro...and force her to provide him with an heir.When Cameron kidnaps Meredith from the gentle confines of the priory where she has sought refuge, he discovers that he is powerless to resist her tender beauty and is captivated by her bold bargaining for her freedom. And although she is the precious daughter of his sworn enemy, Cameron finds himself tempted to abandon his quest to bend her to his will.Meredith had vowed long ago never to trust any man...for men and their ways cause pain to those they love. Her head told her not to give in to the dangerous desire she felt for Cameron; but her heart hoped that he had finally abandoned his wicked ways.
The Outlaw and the Lady
Lorraine Heath - 2001
So when she's swept into the arms of—and kidnapped by—notorious Lee Raven she's both righteously angry...and curiously captivated. There's something about this brazen outlaw that awakens Angela's desires. She knows any crimes he's committed are for the protection of his family, but Angela realizes that a lifetime together with Lee can never be...Lee Raven knows he's only two steps ahead of the law. But this innocent beauty has his head spinning and his heart longing for something more than a life on the run. She's made it clear that she's determined to discover all of his secrets—but how can he let her learn what's hidden in his past? And how can he let her give him her heart today, when he can't evenpromise her tomorrow?
The Devil's Lady
Deborah Simmons - 1994
Perhaps he'd even struck a devil's bargain to assure his warrior prowess. Yet Aisley sensed that Pier's shadows veiled a deeper secret.Aisley de LaciLike a whirlwind, Aisley descended on Dunmurrow castle to claim the Red Knight as her husband. And Piers knew his world was forever changed. But could a creature so full of joy and sunlight ever accept a life of passions draped in darkness?
For Love of the Duke
Christi Caldwell - 2014
When he’s coaxed out of his self-imposed exile to attend the amusements of the Frost Fair, his life is irrevocably changed by his fateful meeting with Lady Katherine Adamson.With her tight brown ringlets and silly white-ruffled gowns, Lady Katherine Adamson has found her dance card empty for two Seasons. After her father’s passing, Katherine learned the unreliability of men, and is determined to depend on no one, except herself. Until she meets Jasper…In a desperate bid to avoid a match arranged by her family, Katherine makes the Duke of Bainbridge a shocking proposition—one that he accepts.Only, as Katherine begins to love Jasper, she finds the arrangement agreed upon is not enough. And Jasper is left to decide if protecting his heart is more important than fighting for Katherine’s love.
Gallant Waif
Anne Gracie - 1999
But the real reason behind the older woman's antics became stunningly clear upon meeting Lady Cahill's enigmatic grandson, Jack Carstairs. Wounded in the Peninsular War, disowned by his father and dumped by his fiancee, Jack had shut himself up in his country estate, but Kate had no patience with such behavior. Suddenly, Jack found himself with a purpose, trying to steer clear of Miss Farleigh's attempts to interfere with his chosen lifestyle. Why, if he wasn't careful, Kate just might succeed in her attempts to make him want to rejoin the human race!
The Captain and the Wallflower
Lyn Stone - 2012
Who better than the homeliest young woman left over at the end of the London season? After all, she will require little attention to keep her happy….Lady Grace Renfair leaps at the only chance to escape her emotionally abusive uncle and accepts Caine's proposal. Soon she blooms with confidence and beauty, causing her husband's forbidding exterior to crumble.If she could only reach beyond his scars to the gentleman beneath….
The Raven Prince
Elizabeth Hoyt - 2006
After an arrogant male on horseback nearly squashes her, she arrives home to learn that she is in dire financial straits.When she must do the unthinkable...The Earl of Swartingham is in a quandary. Having frightened off two secretaries, Edward de Raaf needs someone who can withstand his bad temper and boorish behavior.And find employment.When Anna becomes the earl's secretary, it would seem that both their problems are solved. Then she discovers he plans to visit the most notorious brothel in London for his "manly" needs. Well! Anna sees red—and decides to assuage her "womanly" desires...with the earl as her unknowing lover.
Three Nights of Sin
Anne Mallory - 2008
No one would help her save him from the gallows—no one but Gabriel Noble. In exchange for taking the case, Gabriel requests three favors from the desperate young beauty, and Marietta has no other choice but to make a deal with the sinfully handsome devil.Three nights of pleasure...Searching for clues in the rough underbelly of London, Marietta must masquerade as a shamelessly wanton wench—much to Gabriel's delight. But Marietta swears to herself that her passionate moans are just for show. She could never fall in love with such a maddening, arrogant, seductive stranger . . . could she? Three nights of sin...Night after night, she satisfies his wicked cravings. But soon Gabriel wants more from Marietta than just three nights of sin—and even a sordid secret in his past won't prevent him from trying to possess her forever.
Beguiling the Beauty
Sherry Thomas - 2012
She’s exactly what he’s been searching for—a beautiful woman who interests and entices him. He falls hard and fast—and soon proposes marriage. And then she disappears without a trace…For in reality, the “baroness” is Venetia Easterbrook—a proper young widow who had her own vengeful reasons for instigating an affair with the duke. But the plan has backfired. Venetia has fallen in love with the man she despised—and there’s no telling what might happen when she is finally unmasked…
They Say Love Is Blind
Pepper Pace - 2012
In her solitary life she eats alone and daydreams about having a handsome boyfriend who could accept all of her. Daily she finds herself running to catch her bus and knowing that she is the laughing stock of the other commuters. And then one day she literally finds herself ‘falling’ into the lap of one of the commuters; an exotically handsome white man. Tory finds that she is unable to stop thinking about him and daydreaming about the life he must live. But Mr. Gorgeous must be either married or gay because she sees him dismissing the attention of gorgeous women left and right. Never in a million years would she ever guess that hers was the only attention he was interested in…In this multicultural romance, Pepper Pace weaves a story that takes her readers through the ups and downs of personal insecurities, cultural differences, and of course a lesson to be learned; that love is totally and completely blind.
Meet the Earl at Midnight
Gina Conkle - 2014
The Phantom of London. That's what the gossip pages call Lord Edward Greenwich, a mysterious nobleman who doesn't show his face in London Society. With a reputation like that, no wonder Lydia Montgomery is horrified to be dragged from bed and packed off to live with him to save her mother from penury.While Lydia has received all of the training a lady should endure, she's decidedly un-ladylike. She despises her corset and isn't interested in marriage. She'd prefer to remain unmarried and spend her time improving her art. But if she wants a chance at happiness, she'll have to set aside her fear of the earl and discover the man hiding behind the beast.Will Edward and Lydia's greatest discovery be each other before time runs out?Book 1 in the series Midnight Meetings
A Duchess in Name
Amanda Weaver - 2016
An American heiress and graduate of Lady Grantham's finishing school, she's been groomed since birth to marry an English title—the grander the better. So when the man chosen for her, the forbidding Earl of Dunnley, seems to hate her on sight, she understands that it can't matter. Love can have no place in this arrangement.Andrew Hargrave has little use for his title and even less for his cold, disinterested parents. Determined to make his own way, he's devoted to his life in Italy working as an archaeologist. Until the collapse of his family's fortune drags him back to England to a marriage he never wanted and a woman he doesn't care to know.Wild attraction is an unwanted complication for them both, though it forms the most fragile of bonds. Their marriage of convenience isn't so intolerable after all—but it may not be enough when the deception that bound them is finally revealed.
Lord Ruin
Carolyn Jewel - 2002
He planned to marry for beauty. But a night of unforgettable passion left him a changed man—a man tied to a bespectacled spinster. Anne Sinclair's long legs drove him wild with desire, and her quick wit challenged his mind. Ruined for any other, the notorious rake had only one choice: to court his wife. To win her confidence, however, nothing less than his love would do.The Divine SinclairAnne Sinclair had sworn to protect her sister from the infamous Lord Ruin. Yet she never expected to sacrifice her own virtue. Forced to give the rogue her hand in marriage, she vowed never to relinquish her heart. But Ruan worshiped her body and valued her intelligence, making Anne long to succumb to the ultimate temptation: falling for her husband.
A Beastly Kind of Earl
Mia Vincy - 2019
She especially loves her current mischief: masquerading as her sister, while finalizing her scheme to expose the dastardly knaves whose lies ruined her life.Then Lord Luxborough, big, bad-tempered, and scarred, upends her game by maneuvering her into marriage. But her sister’s name is on the license, so the marriage won’t be valid. Thea’s idea? Keep pretending to be her sister until she can run away.A recluse haunted by his past...Rafe Landcross, Earl of Luxborough, has no love for mischief. Or marriage. Or people, for that matter. The last thing he wants is a wife—but if he marries, he’ll receive a large sum of much-needed money.Then he learns that Thea Knight is using a false name. Rafe’s idea? Pretend he doesn’t know her true identity, marry her, and send her packing once the money is his.A compelling attraction that changes their lives...But as passion ignites and secrets emerge, the mutual deception turns tricky fast. Rafe and Thea face irresistible temptations, unsettling revelations, and a countdown to the day when Thea must leave...Fun, tender, and steamy, this Gothic-flavored historical romance tells of a fake marriage between a grumpy, scarred hero and a trickster heroine who reminds him how to play.
Once and Always
Judith McNaught - 1987
Bewildered by his arrogance yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she senses the painful memories that smolder in his eyes. When he gathers her at last into his arms, arousing a sweet, insistent hunger, they wed and are embraced by fierce, consuming joy -- free from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of anguish, Victoria discovers the treachery at the heart of their love . . . a love she had dreamed would triumph not just once, but always.